Unhealthy lifestyle crisis

Research has found 84.2 percent of adults in Kashmir lead sedentary lives, and more than half the population is obese. The Valley has shown a growing incidence of diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. The study carried out by SKIMS Soura under the guidance of the Indian Council of Medical Research should ring an alarm bell. More so, when we compare it with the obesity rate of just 16 percent among Kashmiris aged 20 to 40 just a decade ago. So, the condition has increased 250 percent.

Diabetes is becoming common too, especially in urban areas. The reasons are the same —lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating habits, and long hours spent sitting, whether at work or home.

Not just physical health,  study has shown that a sedentary lifestyle has also taken a toll on mental health.  Problems like anxiety and depression have also taken root. It is true that Kashmir has faced unrelenting  turmoil over the past three decades. People have lived under immense stress, and now a poor lifestyle is only adding to the burden. But there is little realization of the scale of the problem.  This may be also because there's no awareness about it.

Needless to say, sedentary lifestyle is now a global problem, and so, in turn, is obesity and the other non-communicable diseases. One big factor in this is the phone addiction. More so, in case of the new generation. According to a study by the World Health Organisation, 80 percent of the world’s teens don’t move their bodies enough to live healthy lives. The global health body warned that this pattern of inactivity could have serious effects as these teens become adults.

This calls for a change in the approach of parents towards bringing up their children and also some government intervention. As for as adults, they have to take charge of their own health. The study on Kashmir, however, covers all age groups and it is deeply troubling. It bodes ill for the health of the entire population. So, the government should pitch in, at the very least to raise awareness about the need to lead healthy lifestyles. It is noteworthy that the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has been nominated by the prime minister Narendra Modi as one of India’s top fitness ambassadors to lead a campaign against obesity.  And while he takes on this role, he must focus more attention on the state of health in J&K, something he is likely to do.